Misty Copeland: Ain’t I A Dancer?

Although most of her time is spent preparing for upcoming lead roles with ABT and The Washington Ballet, when Misty Copeland is off stage, she feeds her mind, body, and soul with rest (“on Sunday I’m running off to Cabo to get a break in the sun”), good music (J.Cole is a current favorite), and “proper foods to keep the body healthy and growing.”

And so, we return to the corporeal—the body, which remains at the core of Misty Copeland’s story.

In 2014, an Under Armour ad went viral, and we saw a creature that appeared to have the strength of a man (perhaps, ten men), and the gracefulness of a swan in flight. Feminine, masculine, and downright godly, the body—and the message behind this black woman, center stage and solo—seemed to cry out, “Ain’t I a Woman?” And, “Ain’t I a Dancer?” An athlete? An artist? A miracle?

With these bold, rhetorical questions, Misty Copeland—and, yes, her body—redefine strength, the feminine and the nature of her craft, all while blazing a trail like her foremothers, and encouraging us all to push through, and transform ourselves.

Performing in a variety of classical and contemporary ballets, Misty’s most important part to date is the title role in The Firebird. Misty Copeland’s passion is giving back, especially by mentoring children. She has worked with many charitable organizations and has been honored with an induction into the Boys & Girls Club National Hall of Fame. She is also the author of Life in Motion, her memoir. Firebird is her first children’s book.

“Picture a ballerina in a tutu and toe shoes. What does she look like?”